By the Red Ant River in San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca, sits one of the palenques that, thirty years ago, helped introduce the word mezcal to an audience outside Mexico. Del Maguey Vida is where that story still begins for many drinkers today.
Expert Description
Del Maguey Mezcal Vida is a Mexican Single Village Mezcal at 42% ABV, made from 100% Agave Espadín in the village of San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca.
Del Maguey was founded in 1995 by American artist Ron Cooper, widely credited with sparking serious interest in high-quality mezcal outside Mexico. The Vida expression is crafted by palenquero Paciano Cruz Nolasco and designed as an entry point into Del Maguey's wider world of village-specific mezcals.
The mash is naturally fermented and twice distilled in wood-fired copper stills, after which the mezcal goes straight into the bottle with no cask ageing, preserving the agave's pure character.
Tasting Notes
Nose
Citrus and a light smoke, with a fruity aroma and a hint of honey.
Palate
Fine and cool on the palate, with notes of nuts and spices alongside vanilla and toasted tones.
Finish
Long and soft, with the smoke fading out quietly.
Specifications
Name: Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
Distillery: Del Maguey
Region/Country: San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca, Mexico
Type: Mexican Single Village Mezcal
ABV: 42%
Size: 70 cl
Serving suggestion: Enjoy neat with salt and lime, or shaken into a mezcal margarita
Flavour Profile
Citrus · Light smoke · Honey · Nuts
Did You Know?
Ron Cooper, the artist behind Del Maguey, spent years travelling through Oaxaca's villages before he began importing mezcal to the US in 1995 – an effort now widely regarded as one of the main reasons mezcal is known outside Mexico today.
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